If someone joins the church and doesn't start paying tithing, does anything happen? One can't get a recommend, but beyond that - does anything happen?
At tithing settlement, if someone has attended all year but has not paid tithing, does the bishop force you to pay? Do you get disfellowshipped or ex'd if you don't pay?
In theory, could someone be a attending Mormon for years and never pay tithing?
That's right, you don't have to pay tithing. They just make you feel guilty and pass you over for callings. If you're not paying tithing, it's kind of their fault anyway because their indoctrination isn't good enough.
No, other than putting pressure and guilt on you, they don't do anything. And if you can't pay a full 10%, why pay a penny. Maybe fast offerings. You could give them $500/month, but if it's only 8%, no recommend for you no matter what extenuating circumstance (i.e., medical needs, schooling, etc.) you may have.
And no one has to go to tithing settlement. Just tell them that if the bishop's not smart enough to figure out whether you're a full tithe payer (especially if it's obvious), then he has bigger problems than whether you go to settlement or not.
I don't think so. They are happy if a baptized person is attending somehow regularly for more than a few weeks. I haven't ever heard about someone being exed. I assume a lot of mormons don't pay but attend.
For my part I can say that I haven't paid tithing in years, still attended, held a TR and several callings. I gave my tithing to those who needed it to really help people with it. All I did I just skipped the annual settlement, I didn't list my name for it and no one asked me to do a settlement. Of course I lied about it in the interview for a TR, but got it without any problems.
My last one was issued in 2014. By that time I was completely mentally out, bluntly lied trough the whole thing. Actually I wanted a new one just to see the new movie and attend my best friend from early childhood wedding. For some reasons the spirit didn't warn bish and SP. Not even when they made me an institute teacher to teach D&C and church history in our ward. I did a good job in loading and helping to collapse some shelves I guess.
You are expected to pay your dues like buying a ticket to heaven or getting fire insurance for the last days. The bishop will lay on the guilt and shame pretty thick.
kenc: I don't think most bishops and SPs make a big deal out of gross or net. They aren't supposed to. The Cult Handbook indicates that it is up to "you and the Lord. . ." or words to that effect.
It depends on the PH holder you report to though. I was a full time CES employee and my bishop and SP put me on probation with CES and threatened to fire me if I did not pay more tithing. The SP ordered me to bring my pay stubs to him, so he could "help you figure out how much you need to pay, to become compliant."
I was paying on my net. I think the other CES full timer in the stake (his first counselor) paid a lot more than me (on his gross - like a good little sheep) and he decided it was time to make me tow the line.
I just got stuck with a real jerk. The gigantic upside is that the day of that interview I jumped into the dark and decided I did not need to collect checks from CES anymore, and quit CES and the church - August 2002.
Tithing should only be paid on your "increase". So, if your net income is $3000.00 per month and your expenses to get-by until the next month are $2500.00. Then your "increase" for that month is $500.00. Of that, yoy give the church their 10% for tithing, which is $50.00. If you pay it correctly, that's a hundred rolls of penneys.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/04/2017 09:59PM by azsteve.
"If someone joins the church and doesn't start paying tithing, does anything happen? One can't get a recommend, but beyond that - does anything happen?"
The TR is their instrument of power, and for TBMs it's good enough. Also, whichever callings require a TR are off limits. More money *and* more free time – what a great deal! On the other hand, no calling, ward standing takes a YUGE hit. Sad!
"At tithing settlement, if someone has attended all year but has not paid tithing, does the bishop force you to pay? Do you get disfellowshipped or ex'd if you don't pay?"
Force, like getting kneecapped? This ain't the 1850s. All they can do is pile on the fear and guilt. Fire insurance! You're making Jesus cry. You're making Jesus angry, and you don't want to see Jesus angry. Jesus Smash!
"In theory, could someone be a attending Mormon for years and never pay tithing?"
Sure. Happens all the time, everywhere. They're the ones who never attend the ward temple trips. They're gossip magnets.
Forgot to say, the only ones who can be "forced" are church employees who need valid TRs to keep their jobs. No tithing, no TR, no job. Sucks to be them.
The church wants it paid on gross of course. "Do you want gross blessings or net blessings?" I was actually asked that question once. I answered that I'd really rather have the money, and received a death glare.
One time a few years ago a high councilman got u p in SM and said that tithing was not a donation it was a debt. My reply was "If it is a legal debt and I am not paying it Call a lawyer and sue me!" CONVERSATION STOPPER
I never paid a cent. I never received a calling (perfect) and never got called into a meeting with a bish to discuss why I didn't pay tithing. My dad may have had something to do with that. Wish I could ask him now. He paid plenty.
One of the reports stake and ward leaderships review periodically is a list of people NOT holding a temple recommend.
If someone joins and stays on that list a while, they will likely be "invited" to a session with their bishop.
Also, new members are usually invited to participate in a "temple preparation seminar." The stated purpose of that is to prepare new members for the temple. And, of course, getting there requires a recommend. And, of course, getting THAT requires paying tithing, so...
I only attended one tithing settlement as a "non-tithe-payer". The bishop said he'd need to get my recommend from me at some point. That was it. He didn't urge me to pay, didn't release me from my calling, etc... I told him I wasn't paying because I no longer believed the church was true. Things might have been different if he thought I was a believer.